Saturday

Saturday is named for Saturn..a remnant of our pagan English ancestors. Thank you Bill Bryson from a book I got for Christmas.

We are home at 9014 after a fun three days at Sleeping Lady. Went into Leavenworth for lunch and ate German food before driving home. Road over Stevens was clean and dry, and I was doing 50 mph when I came around the curve and encountered the State Patrol using the radar gun. Fortunately, 50 was the speed limit! So, no ticket, no hassle going over the pass, and Pagiacci for dinner with our girl. That's a good day.

It was a sunny, balmy 54 degrees when we got home! Quite a change from the cold up in the mountains.

Christmas Eve

Busy day. Breakfast..too much food available! Played monopoly. Dad won thanks to putting houses on Boardwalk and Park Place..except in this version they were named BBGun and Leg Lamp. References from Lauren's favorite Christmas movie, A Christmas Story. Then to lunch. Did I complain about too much food? After lunch we drove out north of Leavenworth to Eagle Creek Ranch and went on a sleigh ride. The sleigh had long benches down each side which would seat about 8 people. The others on our ride were an extended family from Brisbane,Australia. Laid about the room for a while, reading and dozing and then off to the "messhall" (Lauren corrected me and pointed out it was too expensive to call it that) for Christmas Eve Dinner. More food and I had to push them on table selection, twice, before we got one that was half decent. Lauren did not like me doing it, but she is the one who pointed out it wasn't a Mess Hall. After that, we watched Love Actually on big screen and finished just in time for the Xmas Eve service at the chapel. Harriet Bullitt hosted and we sang some carols, listened to a handbell group, a brass group, and did a candlelight thing while singing Silent Night. I thought quite a bit about Grandma ("MaMa" when we were little and her mother was "Big MaMa") and our blessed little boy who is no longer with us. I also admired my daughter who has matured into a fine young woman while continuing to be a sweet, thoughtful kind spirit. Well, Merry Christmas. The days are getting longer now and Spring is out there with the promise of sunshine and longer days.

holiday time

Room 134 in the Fountain Cluster at Sleeping Lady Resort outside Leavenworth, WA. Drove over today, 2 hours door to door, to spend 3 days. We have a ski chalet kind of cabin with knotty pine floors and furniture, a steep roof with a small loft tucked into it. No TV in room. No cars nearby either.

Not much snow here but there is some. on the way over Stevens Pass we saw skiers so we may go there on Saturday on the way home.

we bought a little tree at the lot on 35th Ave. NE at about 80th and brought it with us. it is sitting on the desk and we have decorated it. but not before going off to the Grotto for a drink.

After dinner, we drove into Leavenworth and walked around looking at the lights and kids sledding in the city park. K bought a book and we are now settling down for a cold winter's night in the forest.

December 23 2009

Lauren got home yesterday. We went out for the night.

Ate dinner at 10 Mercer Street. L and I shared a grilled Romaine salad. I had steak with skinny fries. Finished off with vanilla custard, Remy Martin VSOP, and a double espresso.

Then, off to the Nutcracker and McCaw Hall. Our seats were in Orchestra about 15 rows back..quite nice. I had a few dozy moments in the first act, but generally found the show engaging.

Dropped Lauren at the Pie and Pint on 65th to hook up with Max and friends celebrating his birthday. Lauren had a CD for him and we gave him a gift box bottle of Old No. 7 with two tumblers included.

Today we are having a Bavarian breakfast, a surprise for Lauren. Weisswurst, pretzels, radler (beer and 7 up....much better than you might think). Then we are heading to Leavenworth for three days at Sleeping Lady.

Best Wishes in 2010 to all of you.